# Keratosis Pilaris?



## piratelysseh (Nov 18, 2006)

Hey all, I'm new here. I have been trying to get rid of my Keratosis Pelaris that I've had ever since I've been born. It always gets worse in winter and it's driving me crazy right now!

Anyone else have the same problem, and does anyone know a treatment that might help me out?

Thanks!


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## patsluv (Nov 18, 2006)

AHA helps with KP. Try the Amlactic 12% lotion. You can get it from drugstore.com Online Pharmacy - Prescription Drugs, Health and Beauty, plus more.


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## charish (Nov 18, 2006)

i've heard of that before but forget what it is.


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## tadzio79 (Nov 18, 2006)

it's also called "chicken skin."

I have it too, on my arms and legs... little white bumps (but not acne).

I try to exfoliate (using scrubs) &amp; moisturize.

but unfortunately, I believe this is genetic, and you can try to lessen the appearance but you probably won't be able to get rid of it per se.


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## charish (Nov 18, 2006)

oh, ok. i just called it some type of dermatitis. yeah i have that too. if i exfoliate regularly and rinse in cold water it helps it, i also have it on my butt which i hate worse.


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## littlebit (Nov 18, 2006)

My son had i when he was little, they told me at the drs office that he would have it forever. It runs in the family on his fathers side and the family members who have have not gotten rid of it. BUT, not for my son. Sooo, after some research; I gave him Borage, Flax, and Fish oil blend at least 2 pill 2x a day. I also--poor child---after his bath used a med/fine file block the exfoliate the areas and then i would open one of the oil capsules and rub it in every night. We did that for around 6months. Now it has been over 5 years and not a bump. Is that considered a cure????


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## charish (Nov 19, 2006)

wow, i'll have to try that. do you get that all in pill form and at the drug store?


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## StrangerNMist (Nov 19, 2006)

Wow! I guess you can definitely consider that a cure! That's pretty awesome!

I think I might have a little bit of that under my forearms.


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## tadzio79 (Nov 20, 2006)

Oh wow! I would say it's a cure if it hasn't pop up in 5 yrs!

I thought it was genetic and impossible to get rid of. I would have to do some reading on this. Thanks for sharing!

My mom used to have it when she was younger, and hers disappeared after I was born.

My sister does not have this at all, her skin is pale and smooth. :scared:

I wonder if I ever have kids it would go away? (but I don't want to pass this on either)


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## Thais (Nov 21, 2006)

Unfortunately there are no super-effective treatments for KP (yes, I have it too). I found that it improved significantly with frequent exfoliation. Alpha and beta hydroxyacids are also thought to help. My next step will be to but the MD Skincare alpha beta daily peel for body and see how it works (I have been using the facial one on my face with good results).


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## usersassychick0 (Nov 21, 2006)

I had it on my arms, this is caused by a build up of skin cells. The skin either needs to be exfoliated for moisterized, and even both.


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## Aquilah (Nov 21, 2006)

I've never heard of this until now... Interesting read for me...


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## trialxerror (Nov 21, 2006)

This is good to know. So you got rid of it? I certainly don't moisturize enough. My arms have gotten better, but my thighs look awful. I would love to have nice smooth legs :/

What are these hydroxy acids and are they easy to find?

Do any of you also have problems with acne? Could this possibly mean that our faces also need help with exfoliation? I'm using a gentle exfoliator made for everyday use, but I don't use it everyday. I haven't made up my mind whether I think exfoliating the face is beneficial or irritating.


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## geebers (Nov 21, 2006)

I heard about am lactin 12%. Id love to know if it works. I have those bumps on my stomach of all places!


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## glamslam (Nov 22, 2006)

I was told the same thing about my son, that he would have it forever and to just leave it alone or put _hydrocortisone cream_ on it, of all things!!! I am going to try your method! And don't feel bad about your exfoliating technique--I've resorted to scratching them off of my son with my fingernail. The bumps are so dry and crusty, it doesn't even hurt him.

I would like to warn people of a product they shouldn't bother with--KP Duty from Derma Doctor. It's like $36 for a tube and it doesn't do anything. It makes the skin soft, but doesn't eliminate the bumps. I faithfully used it on my son for months. Nada!!!


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## 4getmeNot (Nov 22, 2006)

One of my friends had this and her derm suggested Eucerin lotion, it is availible at drugstores.


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## littlebit (Nov 23, 2006)

Sorrry, i took so long to reply. I used get the capsules at local health food stores, but I just found it at walmart. I take one a day because they are good for your skin period. BUT, i know that extra oil can make some of us break out so i guess it is up to your system.

I did try Eucerin cream for him per the drs orders, but it only made them soft. Anyway, if this helps any of you than i am glad. My son certainly is glad to be rid of them, they never hurt, but even at that young age, he found them embarrassing--they did cover most of his little legs!!

Good LUCK


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## LisaLu (Apr 24, 2007)

I have KP too. Its awful. Its quite common &amp; although for many it improves with age (common in children) there is no 'cure' per se, but the condition usually can be controlled by exfoliating &amp; keeping skin mositurized. There is a version of AMLactin cream sold at Costco but the name escapes me at the moment. I was thinking of trying DermaDr KP Duty but wondering if anything else out there less expensive to try. Mine has been just awful lately no matter what I do.


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## mehrunissa (Apr 24, 2007)

I love AmLactin lotion, but it smells very medicinal. It works on smooting and really hydrating the skin though, and when I'm really good about exfoliating and using the lotion, my bumpies on the back of my arms and hips start to go away.  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> Ultimately though, I want to try an actual lactic acid peel (mild one) and see if that works better.


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## LisaLu (Apr 24, 2007)

I have tried home microderm machine that works fairly well but its time consuming. I'd love to try a peel someday &amp; see if that helps. I am so flared right now &amp; nothing seems to work as well. I so hate it on my arms (&amp; elsewhere) in the summer when you want to go sleeveless.


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## bizimom (Apr 25, 2007)

Ladies if your children have KP, don't worry!!! Just treat it for now by keeping the kids skin well moisturized. As your child gets older, KP slowly gets better. I had it as a child on my thighs and the back of my arms. Now I have nothing. I do shower with a loofah sponge and use a good moisturizing body wash.


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## LisaLu (Apr 25, 2007)

Its usually goes away with age, but not always. I had it as a kid &amp; it went dormant in my late teens, early 20s, but it came back with a vengeance during my pregnancy &amp; now comes &amp; goes in flares. :-(


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## mowgli (Apr 27, 2007)

Ive read that Paulas Choice 2% BHA lotion is supposed to be very good for KP, read the reviews for it on makeupalley...I have a bit of KP on my legs on the side of my knees so Im going to try that and see how it goes..


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## clwkerric (Jun 19, 2007)

I was reading my Glamour magazine and they had a little article in it talking about Keratosis Pilaris. They say not to scrub, that it makes things rougher. Instead, dissolve dead skin with a lactic acid or retinol lotion. And they suggest trying Vaseline Intensive Care Healthy Body Complexion Lotion. I'm going to try it.


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## trialxerror (Feb 12, 2008)

Alba Botanica's Coconut Milk Cream Body Wash cleared up about 97% of my KP!!! I think it's the caprylic acid from the coconut. It also smells delicious  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I couldn't believe it, it was totally unexpected!


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## Jinx (Feb 12, 2008)

I didn't have it until I got older! And no amount of exfoliating has helped.:sleepyhead: It feels like I never shave the backs of my thighs because it's so bumpy! :scared:


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## charish (Feb 12, 2008)

birth control made mine worse, that and being pregnant. the dermatologist prescribed me salex cream which has 6% salicylic acid and retin a micro. it did work, but i haven't bought in in a long time b/c it's expensive. for a small tube of the retin a micro is i think 95.00 and large tube is over 120. i don't have insurance so it's been hard for me to keep up with it. but i just exfoliate often , which helps, but they're still there.

oh, thanks, i'll have to try that too. it would be nice to find something cheap to get rid of it. i have it on my bum too, which i think i hate worse.


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## ~*Helen*~ (Feb 12, 2008)

I have this on my legs, used to have it on backs of my arms but it *seems* to be fading touch wood.

I moisturise mmy legs with Bio Oil and Palmers Cocoa Butter and it seems to be helping me! I'm certainly not as self concious about it as I used to be.


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## Jinx (Feb 12, 2008)

Were would you find lactic acid?


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## magosienne (Feb 12, 2008)

here's a link to a wikipedia article.

the lactic acid is found in wine and milky products. the more fresh the milk, the less lactic acid it contains, so you'll have to imitate Cleopatra and take baths of fermented milk !! :rotfl:

funny i also read when too much lactic acid is accumulated in your muscles, it can lead to cramps.

if you like reading labels, it also carries the name "E270".

lol as fermented milk makes yuck, in the french version they also suggested pharmacies.


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## Jinx (Feb 13, 2008)

Well, I knew about the lactic acid in milk and also about the lactic acid build up; but I've spent all my life trying to avoid fermented milk, lol!


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## magosienne (Feb 13, 2008)

lol ! well i never touched a bottle in my life until i learned it's apparently _the_ beverage my friends drink when eating a couscous (one made with raisins and brown sugar, not the salted version). i must say just the sight of fermented milk in a glass made me eek.


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## lagomorph (Feb 22, 2008)

My brother has kp and one of the things that helped him was sulfur and salicylic acid soap.


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## pretty_pink13 (Feb 23, 2008)

My poor lil sis has it, she has been to the derm and everything, and has tried tons of products, however nothing has worked so far...I'm going to keep an eye on this post hopefully someone can suggest something she hasn't tried...


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## Fatimah (Feb 25, 2008)

My sister has KP on her arms while I had problems with super scaly ashy elbows (even the thickest butters never worked on them)...I started taking a cocktail of borage oil, evening primrose oil + fish oil supplements and a zinc supplement daily, and drank loads of water (you can substitute fish oil for flax seed oil if you want, they actually provide the same benefits)....and I swear to you my skin has never been this smooth, even the stretchmarks I got from losing weight were fading and looking alot smoother. I got my sis to do the same and it helped reduce her chicken skin problem significantly as well as keep her acne problems under control...I don't think I'll ever stop and I really don't mind, because when I do the scaly elbows come back...oh well, atleast they're natural health supplements and not chemical-y stuff that never work in the long term.


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## lagomorph (Feb 27, 2008)

This is a great forum for people with kp-keratosispilaris.org/forums


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## Orangeeyecrayon (Feb 27, 2008)

i have kp but i have never done anything for it, but i also have psoriasis. for that i moisturize a ton use a topical steroid and exfoliate. so i shall try that on my kp and let you all know how it owrks out


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## unknown88 (Mar 1, 2008)

I also have it. I have found these times to aggravate my kp - when I put too many shirts and/or a jumper on and i feel hot inside my body or when i wrap myself in a blanket when its hot. Thats when it gets really really bad. To temporarily overcoem the problem I use the Dove gentle exfoliating body wash every night.


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## bebexkhmergrl (Jun 11, 2008)

Really? I have KP myself and lately have been using coconut oil after I shower and it really helped keep my skin soft and moisturized. It also seemed to make the bumps less noticable.

I have tried their coconut milk body cream and loved it! It really helps smooth dry elbows and knees. I'm tempted to try their whole Hawaiian line.  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


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## Rissa928 (Jun 12, 2008)

I have it too. Gets better as you age. I've been prepping my skin for my wedding. I've been exfoliating pretty aggressively (with an exfoliating washcloth) with a moisturizing body wash (Aveeno). Then moisturizing with body oil right out of the shower. It has improved greatly.


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## reesesilverstar (Jun 12, 2008)

Wow, never heard of this before....

Thanks for letting the rest of us know, guys


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